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Cardinal Transport Copter
Allied Cardinal Transport Copter "Hear that? Those are the whirling wings of freedom, buddy. In a minute or two we'll either be reinforced or shipped home - either way, it's the sound of safety." :- Attributed to Sgt. Robert Pryce, Allied Peacekeeper, sometime during the Vietnam War Tactical Analysis * Transport engaged: A straightforward but useful addition to Allied air power, the Cardinal can carry a squad of infantry into the action. Cheap enough to buy in bulk, the Cardinal will enable you to move your infantry with far more speed than your enemy is prepared for! * Designation set: Without its target designator, the helicopter would just be a simple air taxi for the infantry. With it, it can support the offensive efforts of the Allied war machine, especially as it can share targeting data with Guardian Tanks using their target designator for maximum effectiveness. * Fragile bird: Of course, without any door guns, the Cardinal is incapable of defending itself on its own and relies heavily on its escorts for protection. Losing the Cardinal with a full squad inside is a serious blow, so be sure to keep them safe and sound. * Non-combatant: Peacekeeper Cardinal pilots prefer to rely on their trusty Multicopter escorts for protection and prefer to focus on getting safely to their destination. Thus, they are not interested in mounting any weapon systems on their helicopter. Operational History May 14th, 1969 Outside Hue, Vietnam''' :"Get down, idiot! You want your head blown off?!" Sgt. Melissa Fitzgerald roughly shoved a young Defender back into his foxhole, not moments before an RPGL blast detonated about ten metres away. Small bits of shrapnel pinged off her faceplate or embedded itself into the ground around her, and she dropped as low as she could, scanning the treeline for the Vietcong assaulting her position. Out from the trees came intermittent muzzle blasts, various automatic weapons keeping their position well suppressed and preventing them from firing back. The gunfire was definitely getting closer; in minutes they'd be overrun. :Suddenly, the staccato of the enemy rifles and the shrieking of the launchers gave way to a new and much more welcome sound, as from above the clearing descended four Cardinal helicopters, their door guns unleashing torrents of lead into the attacking force. Enemy fire dropped off immediately in the face of the surprise assault, allowing the surviving defenders an opportunity to fire unopposed into the thick jungle, driving them back or leaving their lifeless forms sprawled in the foliage. :As the Defenders cheered and the last enemy silhouette dropped away, Sgt. Fitzgerald couldn't help notice the graffiti adorning the side of the helicopters that saved her unit. ''"Welcome home, chaps." Well, that about summed it up.'' The Allies identified a requirement for a new helicopter to serve as medical evacuation (MEDEVAC), instrument trainer and general utility aircraft. The Allies determined that current helicopters were too large, underpowered, or were too complex to maintain easily. In November 1963, revised military requirements were submitted to the Peacekeeper divisions.'' Only two helicopter designs were submitted; the R-11 Blackjack by Global United Helicopters, and the '''UHN-1 Cardinal by Pelican Helicopter Plant #1. The Blackjack was capable of carrying more troops than the Cardinal, and mounted an impressive 7.62mm minigun. The Cardinal, while having a smaller troop capacity, was faster, cheaper and more reliable. On the 23rd of December, 1964, the Peacekeepers announced their decision, selecting the Cardinal. The Peacekeepers were soon proven right in their choice. The spectrum target designators and simple bench seats allow the Cardinal to perform as a frontline observation aircraft, as well as an all purpose transport. Also unlike the Twinblade, the Cardinal's simple design allows it to nearly instantly deploy, and pick up infantry. This allows a skilled Cardinal pilot to effectively harass tank formations. In mass aerial operations, the Cardinal has been known to take a leading position in any formation, deploying entire brigades of combat infantry in hours while supporting attack craft with the spectrum designator. Infantry that are transported often complain about a safety protocol meaning that they cannot fire out. However, these features would compromise speed and armour, which Cardinal pilots prize above everything. In order to mount the spectrum target designators, the door guns on older models had to be removed (save in Vietnam, where survivability is above all else.) But the use of the designators, some argue, far surpass the abilities of the guns. Behind the Scenes The Cardinal is based on the UH-1 Iroquois multipurpose helicopter, better known as the Huey. Just the Stats ARVN Cardinal Viper "Bummer, it’s been only 4 minutes and I'm already outta ammo!" :- A Viper gunner, after strafing a Vietcong target. Tactical Analysis * Armed to the rotor: Unlike its Peacekeeper cousins, the Cardinal Viper is armed, namely with a pair of grenade launchers that let it hunt down and destroy light vehicles with ease. *'Only You can Start Forest Fires': In addition, the Viper carries a pair of rocket pods. While inaccurate, a spread of Firestorm rockets can saturate a large area in flame, roasting any infantry within. *'Keep me in the air': Cardinal Vipers are quite effective against ground targets, but still can't do anything about the odd MiG Nine and are no less vulnerable to anti aircraft fire than their unarmed counterparts, whatever the source. *'Cover All the Bases': Whenever a Cardinal Viper crew can scrounge them up, they mount "Hellfire" anti-tank missiles on their wing pylons. The missiles are handy when used with the grenade launchers, although for various reasons they can't be used alongside the rocket pods. Operational History A potent combat modification of the lighter Cardinal, the Viper's bite comes in the form of a pair of phosphorous rocket pods and swivel-mounted grenade launchers, capable of quickly disorienting and then eliminating most ground targets. In order to draw fire away from vulnerable transports, it can also throw out flares to draw enemy fire. The armament (and use) of the Cardinal Helicopter by the ARVN is actually a controversy for the Allies, and in particular many of the pacifist and humanitarian sub-groups thereof, have gone on record as to denounce the ARVN for 'blatant misconduct and violation of the rules of warfare'. This controversy stems from the original hospital and evacuation role of the Allied Cardinals, when by painting white stripes on their sides they would announce themselves as being civilian medevacs and, by the rules of war, 'untouchable' by enemy guns. The ARVN, however, has no such need for the rules of warfare when it comes to the madness that is Vietnam. It is a common tactic for Cardinal Vipers to utilize the same tactic as their much beloved Allies, but with a twist - striped in white, Vipers will fly over an enemy encampment (when such can be found) supposedly as hospital transports. When the North Vietnamese or Vietcong lets them fly onwards without firing, the Vipers will suddenly fire upon the largest enemy target, then descend to the ground and let their inhabitants jump out. This practice, known as "Wardoveing", has caused the destruction of many an opposing encampment and was an effective method of striking terror into their normally unflappable opponents. Now, however, Wardoveing as a tactic has started to work against the ARVN. Paranoid NVA and Vietcong soldiers have seen too much of their fellow soldiers blown away by a deceptive Viper, and now many Commanders will simply order their soldiers to attack any Cardinal, Viper or otherwise, that comes in range. This has been especially frustrating for AN Cardinals who are legitimately unarmed and carrying civilian crews - it is darkly rumoured that, should South Vietnam survive the war, the AN Humanitarian Forces will be looking for many an ARVN pilot to stand trial for war crimes. Just the Stats Vietnam Theatre Cardinal Raven Tactical Analysis * Into the fire: Custom variants of the UNH-1 Cardinal, Cardinal Ravens boast a pair of side mounted miniguns which can destroy infantry and light vehicles. Like their brethren, they have room for up to five infantry. * Armoured air cavalry: With their upgraded engines, Cardinal Ravens have the horsepower to tackle the task of lifting a vehicle. Their electrical winches let them carry light vehicles such as the Stewart Tank, though heavier vehicles are still beyond them. * Peacekeeper elite: Cardinal Ravens are significantly rarer than their regular Peacekeeper counterparts, being exclusive to an elite outfit comprised of crack Peacekeepers. As such, they are only requestable via Vietnam Theatre Peacekeeper reinforcements. * Rainbow Blitz: Recently, Allied weapon labs have been able to develop rapid fire spectrum weapons, which are able to cycle their shots quickly thanks to a new cryo-based cooling system. Several Raven pilots have been able to persuade Allied command to lease them a few for "field testing", and they are in high demand due to their increased effectiveness against tanks. Background Despite what the news reels might show, the ARVN bears the brunt of the fighting in Vietnam. Of course, this isn't to say there is no Allied involvement; indeed, the controversial decision to send Reservists to bolster forces in South-East Asia has lead to a massive influx of foreign troops. However, when the VC and NVA start making too much noise, they risk drawing the attention of the most feared force in Vietnam, the elite Allied Peacekeepers. Task forces of Peacekeeper Air Cavalry, armed with light machine guns, missile launchers, and shotguns, make deadly opponents in jungle warfare, particularly since the introduction of air-mobile armour support in the form of the Stewart tank. Key to their tactics is their use of the UNH-1R Cardinal Raven, a custom variant of the Cardinal helicopter, which provides the Vietnam theatre Peacekeepers with the mobility that they need to be able to quickly get to wherever they are needed the most. Compared to the stock Cardinal variant, the Raven is superior in every way. Numerous modifications have been made to these helicopters, with more powerful engines, additional fuel tanks, stronger and lighter composites for the aircraft's fuselage, and so on, all of which enhance performance, increasing range, protection, top speed, and so on. Among the modifications, Cardinal Ravens possess electrical winches, which in combination with their improved engines let them carry light vehicles--like the Stewart--in addition to the standard 5 passengers. Of course, the most noticeable modification of the Raven variant is its weapons; forgoing the standard spectrum target designators standard on Peacekeeper models and the machine gun of the Reservist variants, the Raven possesses not one but two MX-234 7.62mm miniguns, electrically powered monstrosities that can spit out thousands of rounds a minute each. These miniguns provide the Raven with enough firepower to utterly wreck lightly armoured vehicles and shred infantry platoons, and allow these helicopters to provide highly effective fire support for forces on the ground. Just the Stats Reserve Cardinal Slick Tactical Analysis * LZ is hot: The Reservist Cardinal Slick is far more adapted to combat insertion as compared to its Peacekeeper brethren, with improved armour as well as MG-60 5.56mm light machine guns that can clear a path for the troops. *'Need a lift': Like the Peacekeeper Cardinal, the Cardinal Slick can transport up to five infantry. *'Going down!': While its armour and door guns make it more survivable than its unarmed cousin and allow it to defend itself, the Cardinal Slick is just as vulnerable to hostile fighter aircraft. *'Combat drop': Experienced Cardinal crews are able to pick up and drop off passengers in significantly shorter time windows, minimising the risk to the helicopter. Apart from that, the greater piloting skill of the pilots lets them get to where they want that much more quickly. "Anyone who runs is Viet Cong! Anyone who doesn't run is a civilian, so pay attention!" - Slick door gunner in Vietnam to new arrivals in-country Operational History Vietnam is a dangerous place for Reservist forces operating there. Apart from the ever present danger of a sudden and completely unexpected Vietcong ambush, there is also the problem of the thick and unfamiliar jungle. In such hostile terrain and with kilometres of jungle more often than not separating one battlefield from the next, the need for a reliable transport becomes even more pressing. The Cardinal happened to fit the bill nicely. Even in the harsh climate of Vietnam, which has already been the cause of countless mechanical breakdowns, warped rifle stocks and endless other problems, the Cardinal's simple and reliable design works without too much trouble, where other larger and more complex helicopters would suffer from a multitude of maintenance issues. Apart from its reliability and ease of maintenance, the Cardinal also has a number of other traits that put it above other helicopters. Presenting a smaller, speedier, more durable target than other helicopters, the Cardinal is correspondingly harder to hit, and even if hit is more likely to survive. Its speed helps it in another respect; it helps the Cardinal to cross large distances quickly and deliver its passengers to wherever they are needed all the sooner. The Cardinals employed in Vietnam by the Reservists are the door gun armed "B" variant. Compared to the "C" variant of the Cardinal currently in use with the Peacekeepers, the Cardinal Slick (as it is popularly known) is more survivable thanks to its ability to fire back at those that might fire at it, although it cannot support ground troops as effectively due to it lacking the spectrum designator of the Peacekeeper Cardinal. Category:Units Category:Vietnam